Presumption; or, the Fate of Frankenstein opens in London (1823)

Presumption; or, the Fate of Frankenstein, an 1823 play by Richard Brinsley Peake, opened in London as the first recorded theatrical adaptation of Mary Shelley's novel. Staged at the English Opera House, the production required musical elements due to patent restrictions. Its popularity during the summer season prompted a second printing of the novel and influenced Shelley's perception of her fame.

Episodes

Background and detail

Background. Following the Restoration, royal patents restricted most London theatres to melodramas and spectacles, while only Theatres Royal could stage plays. Consequently, Peake's adaptation had to include music, pantomime, and spectacle to be legally performed. The play, loosely based on Shelley's 1818 novel, was set in Geneva and depicted Frankenstein creating a mute, blue-skinned Creature known as the Hobgoblin.

Production. The drama opened on Monday, 28 July 1823, at the English Opera House in the West End. It was part of a programme that included two farces, The Rival Soldiers and Sharp and Flat. The play ran for thirty-seven performances during a three-month summer season, attracting thousands of spectators each night.

Reception. The play's popularity caused a second printing of Shelley's novel. Shelley attended a performance on 29 August 1823, shortly after returning to England. She noted that the drama's success solidified her status as someone famous, marking the only known adaptation she saw during her lifetime.

People involved

Sources

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